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September is both National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month and Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) encourages women of all ages to schedule a preventive health screening.

“Planned Parenthood knows women’s health like no one else – this is what we do. We know firsthand how important cancer screenings are and we are here to provide the information and services people need to stay healthy,” said Judy Tabar President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. “We help patients understand new recommendations when it comes to well-woman check-ups, Pap tests, the HPV vaccine, and cancer screenings. We are here to clear up any confusion about when someone – or someone you love – is due for a check-up.”

A Pap test is recommended at age 21, and then again every three years for both women and transgender men. Pap tests allow health care providers to find pre-cancerous changes and treat them before cancer develops.

About 20,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year in the U.S., and approximately 14,250 will die from the disease. Additionally, about 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and around 4,200 will die from the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data showing that while cervical cancer screenings have been proven to save lives, about eight million women ages 21 to 65 have not been screened for cervical cancer between 2007 and 2012.

“Women should talk with their health care providers to see how often they should be screened. Preventive health screenings are important and can help detect cancer early,” stated Tabar. “Under the Affordable Care Act more people than ever before have access to routine exams and preventive cancer screenings which are covered by insurance and without a copay.”

Every year, nearly 70,000 women, men and young people rely on Planned Parenthood of Southern New England for convenient and high-quality care. More than 90 percent of services are preventive – including lifesaving breast and cervical cancer screenings, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, birth control and well-woman check-ups. For convenience online, walk-in, and same day appointments are available.

To make an appointment or for more information, visit ppsne.org or call 1 (800) 230-PLAN (7526).

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Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) is one of the region’s largest providers of family planning and reproductive health care services. Since 1923, PPSNE has evolved into an organization with 18 health centers in Connecticut and Rhode Island, delivering care to nearly 70,000 patients annually, and 90 percent of the services provided are preventive.